


Last Call

by TheGreatCatsby



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Post High School, University, pre oisuga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-24 22:41:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6169456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreatCatsby/pseuds/TheGreatCatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last time Sugawara touches the ball in a game, it isn't even for a toss. And that feels wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Last Call

The last time Sugawara touches the ball in a game, it isn't even for a toss. And that feels wrong. 

He's spent the past year trying to figure out where he fits. He's wanted to be more than just an encouraging pillar for the rest of the team to lean on. He doesn't mind being that, but he also wants to fight. He's always wanted to fight alongside his friends. 

He isn't the best setter. He isn't the best receiver. He's not even the best pinch server. He's put in to bridge the gaps that sometimes appear in the team, but he's only there until the main team manages to put itself back together. They can fight better without him. 

He learns how to spike, even though he won't be the best spiker. 

The last time he touches the ball is during nationals, and it's a spike off Nishinoya's toss. It's completely different to how he's used to playing: Nishinoya receiving, Suga setting, Daichi or Asahi there to slam the ball down onto the other side. This time Suga slams the ball down, and scores. 

And then he's taken out. 

He wishes he could have helped win that game with his toss. That he could have set to Asahi or Daichi one last time. He isn't sure why it matters. It's just a game, and he played his part, even if it was small. 

Maybe it's because soon they'll all leave, going to different parts of the country to study different things, follow different career paths. The most binding thing Suga knows is the feeling of fighting together on the court, and this is the last time they will stand together. 

He doesn't get to set to Daichi or Asahi once during his last game. 

Somehow, it feels like he's not standing with them anymore. 

* 

Oikawa's last toss (of his high school career) is to Iwaizumi. They've spent years on the same team perfecting their timing, becoming completely in sync. They'll go to the same university, stay on the same team together. If they're lucky, they'll get to fight together for years to come. 

But Oikawa's last toss doesn't win them the game. Oikawa has spent years trying to be better than everyone else, and his final toss is perfect. It's high, arcing into the best position for Iwaizumi to slam it down with all his strength. 

It still isn't good enough. 

They still lose. 

Oikawa can't stop thinking about that. Even though Iwaizumi tells him that they'll fight together again. Even though Oikawa knows that this isn't the end of his time as a setter. He can't stop thinking about his best not being good enough. Not against a genius like Kageyama. 

It would be better to forget about it. He can't drag that sort of insecurity onto a university team. 

He can't just get rid of it, either. 

* 

Suga goes to Tokyo, and he doesn't play volleyball for his university. Daichi comes with him, also not on the team, but they hardly see each other. They're both busy with their respective classes. Suga is trying for med school, which requires a lot of studying. His life becomes nothing but books. 

The route from his classes to his room takes him past the university's athletic facilities. It's raining one day, two months into the semester, and Suga forgets his umbrella. He passes by the gym and hears a familiar sound—a ball smacking into the floor. 

He pauses, despite the rain soaking into his hair and coat. A few seconds pass. That sound again, and Suga lurches forward, towards the entrance to the gym. 

He makes it one step inside before stopping short. 

On the other side of the gym, past a volleyball net, stands Oikawa Tooru. 

* 

“You don't need extra practice dumbass,” Iwaizumi snaps as Oikawa packs up his gym back. “You should be studying.” 

“I don't need to study,” Oikawa chirps, slinging the bag over his shoulder. He turns to leave and something hits him on the small of his back. He turns, just in time to see a small umbrella hit the ground. 

“It's raining,” Iwaizumi mutters, turning back to his computer. He studies a lot more than Oikawa, sometimes treats the volleyball team like it comes second to school. Which is probably how it should be, but Oikawa doesn't see it that way. “If you're gonna be an idiot at least don't catch a cold.” 

“How kind.” Oikawa picks up the umbrella, thinks for a moment about leaving it on his bed just to piss Iwaizumi off, but then again, if it is raining he doesn't want to end up uncomfortably damp and with his hair a mess for the rest of the day. So he takes it, grudgingly, and heads off. 

The gym is empty, as it should be at this time when the majority of people are at class. His team practices take place at night, but he needs more. He can't have his best attack fail. Not again. 

Of course, he doesn't have anyone to toss to, so he practices his killer serve. At least he can improve something while he's alone. 

He's about four serves in, and only one has gone out, when he notices someone standing on the opposite side of the net, just off to the side, backpack at their feet. 

He smirks to himself, decides to scare them a little. He spins the ball in his hands, tosses it into the air, takes a running start and jumps. He has a moment to think, this is a good toss, before his hand slams into the ball and it rockets towards the person on the other side of the net, passing by their face a few inches before hitting the ground. 

He straightens up. The other person hasn't moved an inch. 

“That could've hit you,” Oikawa says, frowning. 

The person shrugs off their coat, takes a step towards him. He has grey-blond hair, wet from the rain. Oikawa recognizes him. 

Sugawara. The other setter from Karasuno. 

“You've always had incredible precision with your serves,” Sugawara says, ducking under the net. “Shouldn't you be in class?” 

“Shouldn't you?” Oikawa grabs another ball, holds it in his hands in front of his chest. “I didn't know you came here. You're not on the team.” 

“Why would I be?” Sugawara comes closer. “You are, though. But they're not here.” 

“I'm practicing my serves,” Oikawa says, stiff. The last time they'd seen each other, Oikawa had lost. Sugawara hadn't been on the other side of the net when his best hadn't been good enough, but he'd seen all the same. 

“It must be intimidating,” Sugawara says, grabbing one of the volleyballs off the ground and turning it over. “New team. I'd be scared.” He offers Oikawa a small smile. 

“I'm not scared,” Oikawa says. 

Sugawara laughs, gentle. “It's okay to be scared.” He tosses the ball in the air, catches it. “It's been a long time since I've touched one of these.” 

Oikawa wants to roll his eyes, but he thinks about what he really came here to do. What he's too afraid to ask anyone to help him with. Sugawara isn't on the team, but Oikawa knows what he can do. He's competant. 

“Let me toss to you,” he says, deceptively light. 

Sugawara raises an eyebrow. “What?” 

“It'll be fun,” Oikawa says. “Haven't you always wanted to spike one of my exquisite tosses?” 

“No.” Sugawara drops the ball in his hands. “But I will, on one condition.” 

Oikawa narrows his eyes. “What?” 

“Let me toss to you, too,” Sugawara says. 

“Deal.” Oikawa turns, makes his way towards the net. Sugawara follows, rolling his shoulders. 

“This should be fun,” Sugawara says. “I've spent too much time sitting around these days.” 

“Don't worry if you can't hit it,” Oikawa chirps. “I know you're not used to spiking.” 

“I'll be fine,” Sugawara chirps back. Oikawa throws the ball at him, hard. Sugawara catches it, then throws it in a high arc in the air. 

Oikawa sticks his tongue out, gets under the ball, and tosses it back to Sugawara, not too far from the net. Sugawara runs, jumps, and slams the ball down onto the other side. There isn't a lot of power to it, but it gets the job done, and Sugawara lands back on the ground with a silly grin on his face that Oikawa can't help but find endearing. It's different from the fierce grin Iwaizumi wears. Sugawara's eyes seem to sparkle as he glances back at Oikawa. 

“That was really good,” he says, a little breathless. “Good placement.” 

“Your turn,” Oikawa says, grabbing another ball and throwing it in the air. 

He watches Sugawara carefully. Sugawara stares at the ball, then casts a brief glances at Oikawa. Oikawa turns away from him, starts his approach towards the net, then jumps. 

He's met by Sugawara's toss, in an ideal position. It surprises him, when his hand connects and hits the ball full power towards the other side. He lands and frowns at Sugawara. 

“How did you know where I would hit it best?” he asks. 

Sugawara laughs. “I've seen you attack before.” 

“You've been watching me,” Oikawa teases. 

“You're one to talk. I know you watch everyone,” Sugawara says. “Isn't that a setter's job?” 

“You haven't set in a long time,” Oikawa points out, and it's probably a bit mean, but they were enemies after all. Sugawara doesn't look away. 

“No, I haven't,” he says, “so thank you for letting me toss to you. That felt good. I missed it.” 

Oikawa stares at him. The words feel so heartfelt that something catches in Oikawa's chest. He wonders what he would feel like in Sugawara's position, replaced by a genius like Kageyama. If Kageyama had been on his high school team, that would have been a real possibility, and he remembers being terrified of Kageyama when they were in middle school. He thinks about Sugawara and the Karasuno captain, how close they seemed when they were on the court. He imagines not being able to toss to Iwaizumi in their final matches. He imagines never playing with Iwaizumi after their last match. 

It's a wonder that Sugawara is even willing to step into a gym again. 

“You can stay,” Oikawa says after a moment. “I have a few hours before practice. We can take it in turns.” 

“How nice of you,” Sugawara says, lips twitching into a smirk. “I didn't know Oikawa Tooru was so generous.” 

Oikawa twitches. “I can't practice tossing on my own, you know.” 

Sugawara laughs. “Fair enough. I have time.” 

And that's how they spend the next few hours. Sugawara isn't Iwaizumi, and Oikawa isn't Daichi, but that's okay. To each other, they're useful. For a few hours, they can fight alongside each other and be good enough.


End file.
